Charging of primers.



l S is ATQN FRANQOIS H YRON IMUS, OF CUGNY, FRANCE.

CHARGING OF PRIMIERS.

the Charging of Primers, of which the follow.

ing is a specification.

This invention has reference to a new primer for the ignition of minesor for ignitlng thecharges of fire-arms.

For some time trials have been made to substitute the fulminate ofmercury by different explosives or explosive mixtures which are cheaper,simpler to prepare and of at least equal eflicacity. Up to the presentthe only progress which seems to have been effected in the charging ofprimers for mines has been the substitution for the pure fulminate of amixture of fulminate with an oxidizer, such as for example chlorate ofpotassium, or of a primer consisting of av charge of an organic nitratedsubstance (picric acid, trinitrotoluene, and the like) which itself isprimed through pure fulminate used in small uantity only. The differentmixtures use for the primers for fire-arms all contain fulminate ofmercury in quantities varying according to requirement, and the additionof other substances merely serves for modifying the flame and forregulating the sensitiveness with regard to shocks or friction.

The object of the present invention is to replace the fulminate ofmercury wherever it may be employedbytrinitrid of lead (Az )2Pb. Thiscom ound Whose properties have hitherto not been generally known isfound to ossess the same explosive qualities as the lminate of mercury,that is to say, its explosion, if effected in a suitable manner (byshock, ignition, etc.) roduces an energetic molecular vibration w 'ch isada ted to detonate the usual ex losives, suc as dynamite, explosives oft e F avier type, gun-cotton etc.

The pre aration of the trinitrid of lead is very simp e and withoutdanger when roceeding in the manner hereinafter descri ed. The amid ofsodium is prepared in the classical manner by sending through meltedsodium a jet of dry ammonia gas. This amid is treated with a jet of dryprotoxid of nitro en at a temperature of 300 C. the amid in sion istransformed into trinitrid of sodium Specification of Letters Patent. IApplication filed February 4, 1908. Serial No. 414,282.

. silicic material, whereby Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

which is solid at the temperature at which one operates.

The trinitrid of sodium, when cooled, is

tainedis alkaline. It is exactly neutralized with highly diluted nitricacid and to" the neutral solution is added a solution of nitrate oflead. The trinitrid oflead precipitates in crystals, the size of whichvaries with the temperature at which the double decomposition iseffected, These reactions tske p ace according to the following formu:e:-

Na AzH AzH Na H AzH,Na Az O Az Na H O The water which is formed withthis react1on decomposes part of the amid according to the formula AzHNa H,;O AzH NaOH The double decomposition is the following 2Az Na(AzO,;) Pb (Az ),Pb 2AzO Na The crystalline precipitate of (Az ),Pb iscollected on afilter, Washed out with cold Water and dried atatemperature below 100C. It is now ready to serve for the charging of anyprimers, exactly in the manner as the fulmmate of mercury.

For industrial purposes and with a view to obtaining a convenientoutput, the theoretical process which has just been described, will beapplied as hereinafter described.

The trinitrid of sodium infusible at the temperature of 300 C. at whichthe operation is carried on, the amid-being however fusible at thistemperature, the nitrous oxid therefore will only with diflieulty reactwhen a certain quantity of trinitrid has formed and it absorbs the amidnot yet decomposed. This fact retardsthe operation and causes a muchlarger quantity of nitrous oxid to be used than is really required. Toobviate this inconvenience, it is necessary to divide 5 the amid ofsodium in having it partly absorbed by an infusible material,- which isanhydrous, porous and which does not react with the different substancesintervening in the reaction. Pumice-stone, infusorial earth, etc.,cannot be used for this purpose owing to their silicious nature; thesodium-hydrate which is formed, would react upon the the reaction wouldabsorbed by the water; the solution vobbecome even more difiicult, theoutput beingat the same time much reduced. T ere have to be'chosenanhydrous materlals, such as lime, magnesia, sulfate of soda, etc.,which i; fulfil the-required conditions.

The operation is as follows The lime, for example, is crushed; further.the amid is crushed and the two materials are placed in a'suitablerecev tacle so that the mixture is spread over a: arge surface; thereceptacle is heated to a tem erature of at least 190 0.;

the amid, in me ting, is absorbed by the lime so that the nitrous acideasily penetrates into the material and operates its reaction.Mechanical kneading may be used.

The mass obtained is lixiviated With Water and treated has beendescribed. v

The trinitrid of lead, although it, has already been prepared inlaboratories in very small quantities, has up to the present neverfoundcommercial application.

The e'xperimentists whohave studied the It is to be understood that thepresent invention does not concern any other ap lications or propertiesof this material, ut

merely its special explosivequalities.

I claim:

A primer for mines and fireearms consisting of a charge of trinitrid-oflead.

FRANCOIS 'HYRONIMUS.

' Witnesses:

H. 0. 00x12, ALFRED FREY.

